Pitch Black Afro charged with murder

The rapper’s case has been postponed until January 15 while he attempts to acquire legal aid.

Rapper Pitch Black Afro, real name Thulani Ngcobo, has been charged with premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice at the Hillbrow Magistrate Court.

The rapper’s wife, Catherine ‘Trisha’ Modusane, was found dead on December 31, with her death initially thought to be of natural causes, only for a murder case to be opened on Wednesday.

The case has been postponed until January 15. The Sowetan has reported that Ngcobo needs to attempt to get legal aid as he can’t afford a lawyer.

According to the publication, the rapper appeared to be in a good mood at his court appearance. He handed his manager Bheki Mlambo a letter, telling him to “keep it safe for her”. The contents are, at this point, unknown.

This brings to an end speculation surrounding whether or not it was indeed the rapper who had been arrested for the murder of his wife. Some media reports had named the rapper, while others waited for his first court appearance.

The Citizen reported earlier on Thursday that a man rumoured to be the rapper would appear at the Hillbrow Magistrate Court on Thursday.

While various news outlets had reported that the accused is indeed the rapper, this had not been confirmed by police or NPA spokespeople prior to his first court appearance.

EWN reported a “suspect” was appearing in court in connection with the murder on Thursday, and added that police had not confirmed his identity, while African News Agency reported the man in question is indeed the rapper.

African News Agency’s daily diary reported this morning: “Hip-hop artist Pitch Black Afro will appear in Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court for the murder of his wife, Trisha, who ‘mysteriously’ died at a BnB in Johannesburg following an argument with her husband on December 30.”

eNCA had similarly reported that the rapper himself was set to appear in the dock.

It was reported on Wednesday that the rapper’s wife, 41-year-old Catherine Modusane, had passed away and that a murder case had been opened.

Modusane reportedly died back on December 31, with the death initially thought to have been of natural causes, only for a murder docket to be opened later after foul play was suspected.

Dlamini told News24: “An inquest docket was opened on December 31, 2018. After further investigation, a murder case was registered.”

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